Combined obesity-belt and truss.



W. T. BURNS.

COMBINED OBESITY BELT AND TR USS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-20, 1915.

1,184,516. Patented May 23,1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, D c.

ai men.

WILLIAM T. BURNS, 0F HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HOLYOKE COVERED 'W'IRE CO., OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A TRUST ASSOCIATION HAVING AS TRUSTEES WILLIAM A. PRENTISS, GEORGE W. PRENTISS, BERTHA I-I. PRENTISS, HAROLD T. SMETHURST. WALTER F. BACHELDER, AND ROBERT K. MORTON.

COMBINED OBESITY-BELT AND TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed October 20, 1915. Serial No. 56,861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. BURNs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Obesity-Belts and Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a combined supporting or obesity belt and truss. V

Broadly, the invention comprises one or more rings formed with an inelastic core member about which are placed coils of wire of suitable gage, the coils or turns of which are more or less closely arranged with relation to each other, and suitable connecting members, preferably of webbing, either elastic or inelastic, for attaching the appliance to the person.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 shows a pair of rings connected together by adjustable loops in suitable webbing, one of the rings being intended as a supporting member and the other for spanning the spinal column; Fig. 2 is a modification, in which, instead of one ring being used as a supporting element, two of substantially the same size are employed for the same purpose; Fig. 3'is a modification in which instead of the ring being left open it is closed by suitable netting, the netting being designed for attaching and supporting a suitable pad to act as a truss for relieving hernia; Fig. 4: is a further modification in which the two large rings, instead of being placed in a horizontal position are located in a vertical position, these rings being in turn connected by suitable pieces of webbing to similar rings that are arranged to be located forward of the hips for exerting a pressure at that point if there is muscular weakness; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view 011 the line 55 of Fig. 1, showing the location and arrangement of the core within the coils; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of one of the rings illustrating the core, the coils, and a covering of suitable material over the coils; and Fig. 7 illustrates a View similar to Fig. 5 but showing the coils in a flattened or elliptical form instead of circular. shows the appliance in place.

Referring to the drawings in detail: 1 designates a ring of suitable size and preferably of circular form. This ring is composed of an inextensible core member 2, which member is surrounded by coils 3. The turns of these coils may lie close together or separated from each other, as shown on an exaggerated scale in Fig. 6. The cross sectional shape of the ring, as shown in end view 1n Fig. 5 is circular. If desired the CO1lS of the ring may be elliptical or fiat in cross section, as shown in Fig. 7. The ring 1 is preferably covered with some suitable Fig. 8

-fabric as silk or mercerized cotton, indicated at 4:, so as not to chafe the wearer. Connected to the ring 1 is a smaller ring 5 which is constructed in the same manner as the ring 1. This ring is designed for spanning the spinal column of the wearer so as not to exert an injurious pressure at that point and sides also. The rings 1 and 5 are connected together by means of suitable webbing of either elastic 0r inelastic material, indicated at 6, and suitable adjusting devices, as buckles 7, are provided between the rings for positioning the device as readily understood.

Fig. 2 illustrates a modification in which instead of one large ring being employed as a supporting element as shown in Fig. 1, two are employed, it being understood that these rings are constructed in the same manner as the ring 1, already described. These rings are connected together by horizontal members 8, which are designed to exert an upward pressure at this point. These members are constructed in the same manner as shown in Fig. 6, that is, with a core surrounding the coils.

Fig. 3 illustrates a feature of my invention, that in addition to serving as a supporting belt, the ring 1 has the interior part thereof covered with wire netting or other suitable material 9. There may be attached tothis netting a pad 10 of suitable material, as the usual water or air pad, for exerting a pressure to relieve hernia, the screw 11 serving as the attaching means and the adjusting means for rotating the pad in any desired position. This construction permits the pressure to be distributed over a larger area than that shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4;, the rings 1, instead of lying in a horizontal position as in Fig. 2, are vertically arranged one above the other and suitable connecting members 12 and 13 are employed for exerting a pressure on the abdomen along these lines. The members 13 are tangentially located to the rings 1, and, may be considered as serving as supporting elements for that part of the pressure pad that is connected by them, as often a hernia or weakness of the muscles extends along the side of the abdomen. Connecting the rings 1 are strips 1a which extend to a smaller ring 15, the length of the strips 14: being adjusted by means of the buckles '7. The purpose of the ring 15 is to exert a pressure forward of the hips at the sides of the body in order to relieve any muscular weakness at this point.

It is to be understood that in the use of the bandage or supporting device shown in Fig. 4 that the ring 5, shown in Fig. 1, is employed for spanning the spinal column. It is also to be understood that the rings 1, as shown in this figure, instead of being located in vertical alinement, may be placed in horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2.

It is also to be understood that the entire supporting device may be ma'de'aip entirely of rings connected together in the form of a chain, and it should be distinctly borne in mind that the coils-3 permit the rings to assume diflerent shapes when an endwise V pull is exerted in opposite directions. Such rings will then assume a more or less elliptical form, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. at 1'. The coils in use tend to slightly sep arate from each other when a diametrical pull is exerted on the rings.

It is understood that various forms and sizes of rings may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, but the main object of the invention is to provide a supporting device in ring form that will support the person over a large area, thus making it comfortable for the wearer, and one that can be readily attached and adjusted to irregularities. I The open ring and the coils about the core afford free ventilation to relieve the wearer from discomfort in warm weather. This is true also of the construction shown in Fig. 3 when the netting of the ring is used the device is used as a truss and the pad 10 is made use of. It is also to be understood that I do not limit myself to the use of anyparticular kind of material for the core and the coils may be made of German silver wire that is suitably covered either with cotton or silk. It is also to be understood that I do not limit myself to the size of the rings as these may be made smaller to serve the purpose of a truss without making use of the pad 10 and thus completely do away with this pad as I have found by experience. Y

The form of device shown in Fig. 2 may be supplied with connecting means 16. These connecting means may be made up of turns of wire only, as shown in Fig. 6 and the core 2 may, if desired, be omitted, thereby permitting the rings 1 to extend more freely as shown in Fig. lthan they would if the inextensible core was used, and at the same time exert a pressure on the body.

It is to be readily understood that the rings are capable of readily bending to conform to the body, that is to say, they can easily be bent out of a plane that will 7 include the ring into one that does not.

An important feature or the invention when used as an obesity belt is for the pur-- pose of exerting a lifting andupward pressure at the lower part of the abdomen. On account of the flexibility of the supporting ring no inconvenience is experienced during 7 any of the movements of the body while sitting, standing, bending or running- That is to say, it does-not in any way interfere with any of the movements of the body.

What I claim is: 1 In a supporting device of the kind described, the combination, a ring having a core element, coils wound around said corei 3. In a device of the kind described, the

combination of a plurality of rings, each formed with an inextensible and flexible core and'a series oftur'ns passing. around the core, a filling material for closing the opening of the rings, a pad attached to the filling material to serve as'a hernia pad, and means for securing the appliance in place.

4. A device of the kind described, comprising in combination a plurality-of open flexible rings, means for adjustably connecting the rings together for positioning the same in order to apply pressure to the person as described, said rings being constructed with a core, coils of covered wire encircling the core, .acovering for the-coils, and means for attaching the device to the person.

5. In a device of the kinddescribed, the combination of a ring having an inextensi- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the described, comprising a plurality of centrally located supporting rings arranged adjacent to each other and grouped for exerting pressure on the person at substantially 15 an intermediate portion of the length of the belt, a supporting ring designed for location near the side of the person, connecting means between the rings, and means for retaining the device in place.

WILLIAM T. BURNS,

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

